Stories

Capt. Joe Manske, 321stBG, 445thBS/Combat MTO

321st Bomb Group, 445th Bomb Squadron, B-25 Mitchells in the MTO/ Capt. Joe Manske was a Flight Engineer/Aerial Gunner on the RAID, then assigned to the MTO, he was promoted to Capt and became our Engineering Officer.

Captain Jones took off safely despite a leak in the bomb bay gas tank and proceeded to Tokyo. His bombs scored direct hits on a power station, oil tanks and a large manufacturing plant. Continuing on to China, he flew on instruments until he estimated he was in the vicinity of Chuhsien. His entire crew bailed out without injury and was the first of the raiders to reach Chuhsien. Two of the crew remained in Indo-China while Captain Jones and Lieutenant Truelove went on to fly in Europe. Though all five members of the crew survived the Tokyo raid, two were killed in action before the war ended and Captain Jones spent time in a German POW camp.